Trump says he's 'not joking' about a possible third term
President Trump said Sunday he’s “not joking” about serving a possible third term, marking the second time in less than three weeks that he's floated the idea.
“I'm hearing — you don't sound like you're joking. I've heard you joke about this a number of times,” NBC News’s Kristen Welker said during a phone call with the president, discussing a third term for Trump.
“No, no, I'm not joking,” Trump responded, according to NBC News.
The president also said that he has “the highest poll numbers of any Republican for the last 100 years.”
“We're in the high 70s in many polls, in the real polls, and you see that. And, and you know, we're very popular. And you know, a lot of people would like me to do that,” Trump said of a third term. “But, I mean, I basically tell them, we have a long way to go, you know, it’s very early in the administration.”
Trump previously floated the idea of running for a third term during a St. Patrick’s Day event on March 12 that featured House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.); Ireland's leader, Taoiseach Micheál Martin; and other lawmakers.
Trump is constitutionally restricted to two terms.
When pressed on how he would make it into the White House a third time, Trump told Welker, "There are, there are methods which you could do it, as you know."
Welker then pitched him a hypothetical: "Well, let me throw out one where President Vance would run for office and then would, basically, if, if you — if he won, at the top of the ticket, would then pass the baton to you."
Trump replied, "Well, that's one. But there are others, too. There are others."
He would not offer other examples.
The president said that he enjoys “working” in his call with Welker after she stated that the presidency “is the toughest job there is,” according to NBC News.
“Would you, would you — you wouldn't want to pass the baton to Vice President Vance?” Welker asked Trump, to which Trump responded that “it’s too early … to even think about it.”
In an emailed statement to The Hill, White House communications director Steven Cheung said, “Americans overwhelmingly approve and support President Trump and his America First policies.”
“As the President said, it’s far too early to think about it and he is focused on undoing all the hurt Biden has caused and Making America Great Again,” Cheung added.
Updated at 3:53 p.m. EDT